The young Blues started brightly and led after just seven minutes following an incisive move down the inside-left channel. Lewis Hall turned neatly and threaded a pass forward for Ronnie Stutter, who skipped beyond Baggies centre-back Mark Chidi before finding Leo Castledine in the six-yard box.

The 16-year-old’s initial effort was blocked brilliantly by Josh Shaw but the rebound was squeezed past the falling goalkeeper with too much power to break the deadlock and set the hosts on their way.

Stutter and Jimi Tauriainen then went close before combining to great effect to eventually double the lead for Ed Brand’s boys just before the half-hour mark. Hall was once again central to the move with a driving run from midfield and a slide-rule pass down the side of the West Brom back three for Taurianen, whose left-footed strike was kept out well by Ronnie Hollinghead.

However, the loose ball fell kindly for the lurking Stutter, who showed a striker’s instinct to tuck it away from close range and give the Blues a 2-0 lead.

West Brom had only threatened occasionally, most notably when Brodi Hughes thwarted Reyes Cleary, although Prince Adegoke had also made a fine save to deny Daniel N’Goma before Stutter’s strike. Down the other end, Hollinghead made a firm stop to keep out Edwin Andersson’s stinging drive.

After the break, the goals kept coming and Cleary found the bottom corner with a curling effort from just inside the box to halve the deficit for the visitors after 65 minutes.

Yet the Blues were quickly back with a two-goal lead when Andersson was bundled over in the box and Hall made no mistake in dispatching from 12 yards.

Despite Cleary weaving through to grab a second with 12 minutes to play, it was Chelsea who finished strongest as substitute Zain Silcott-Duberry tucked in another rebound and Stutter found the net with a smart header.

That late flourish added a glean to the scoreline for the youngsters, who return to Under-18 premier League action next weekend with a trip to Tottenham. Before then, our development squad play at Stamford Bridge this Friday 20 August when they host Manchester United in a 7pm kick-off.

Chelsea Prince Adegoke; Derrick Abu, Josh Tobin (c), Brodi Hughes, Richard Olise; Billy Gee, Lewis Hall (Samuel Rak-Sakyi 75); Leo Castledine (Zain Silcott-Duberry 78), Jimi Tauriainen (Louis Flower 45+3), Edwin Andersson; Ronnie StutterUnused subs Somto Boniface, Teddy CurdScorers Castledine 7; Stutter 27, 85; Hall (pen) 74; Silcott-Duberry 83

West Brom Ronnie Hollinghead; Reece Hall, Mark Chidi (Leon Machisa h/t), Daniel N’Goma; Alex Williams; Jesse Wangussi (Mackenzie Lamb h/t), Matt Richards, Josh Shaw; Akeel Higgins (Samuel Tobi 75), Reyes Cleary, Fenton HeardUnused subs Leyton Love, Beau HuddScorer Cleary ’65, ‘78Booked N’Goma 37; Wangussi 44Sent off N’Goma 85

Referee Neil Keirs